How to export into .3ds and keep materials?
Additional regarding Fbx

3dsMax


Make sure your units match that of Blender (meters for this example) - Customize menu - units setup.
Import your Fbx file.
Although your lights and camera import they are not compatable with 3dsmax rendering.  You will need to discard your lights and camera and install most probably photometric lights and at least one of the system cameras in order to render. 
2) - Your scale will be correct.


Maya


Change working units in Maya to meters or match your settings from blender.
Windows - Settings and Preferences - Preferences -- Click on Settings. Under working units change to meters or match blenders settings set before your project.
Import your Fbx file.
On importing you will have your lights and camera. However they are probably not compatable (untested as yet). You will probably have to set up new system of lights and cameras.
3) - Your scale will be correct.


Fbx Review


Opens correctly in Fbx review.


Lightwave 2015


Opens correctly in Lightwave 2015 Modeler. Scale is correct. No lights (modeler).
Imports correctly in Lightwave 2015 Scene. Scale unverified. Option to play with scale on import. Cameras and Lights available but compatability unverified.


Other systems as yet untested



Exporting to Collada from Blender

Phases 1, 2, 3, and 4. as above

Phase 5 Export your model to .Dae


Export to .Dae as below
In the properties panel -(Render Tab) set animation frame rate to match your target systems default. check defaults or settings on other systems.
Select File - external data - (check) Automatically pack data into .blend
Save your .blend file
Select File - Export - Collada
Leave all Collada export settings at their defaults. Change only if you are deviating from this recipe for good reason.
Export Collada
Open the file in an application that supports Collada. Autodesk FBX review is an excellent one for checking (make sure textures are switched on)


Additional regarding Collada

3dsMax


Make sure your units match that of Blender (meters for this example) - Customize menu - units setup
Import your .dae file
You will loose your lights and cameras. - Set up new lights and cameras.
Your scale will be correct


Maya


I don't have the version that supports .3ds import.


Fbx Review


Opens correctly in Fbx review.


Lightwave 2015


Opens in modeler. Geometry only. UV mapping unknown. Scale is correct. No lights (modeler).
Imports into Lightwave 2015 Scene. Lights lost camera displaced and probably inoperative. Scale unverified. Option to play with scale on import. Texture (will turn some lights on to verify)


Other systems untested



Exporting to 3ds from Blender


The methods above do not work for Autodesk Fbx reviewer and 3dsMax but 'Load object' does work for lightwave 2015 modeler. However the scale of the import is 10 times too large. There is no where to adjust scale on the exporter and lightwave is fixed in meters. My thinking is that you must model in blender at 1 tenth scale to achieve the expected result for lightwave. Further cameras and lights are not imported as it is Lightwave modeler only. Further Lightwave's rendering package does not support .3ds.
in Autodesk FBX review - scale is lost - proper geometry is lost - textures are maintained. UV mapping appears correct but the object is warped.
In 3dsMax I have proper looking Geometry although there seems to be a few additional verticies somewhere. Scale is correct but textures are lost. If you look in the textures 'slots' in the materials editor the correct name of the texture is there but the swatch is black. This is someting to do with paths I think. If the texture can be located in the correct place then perhaps it could become available. You would still have to manualy map the texture adjacent to the diffuse colour tab in the materials editor. The uv mapping may still be intact (untested) as the result from Fbx reviewer would suggest that the uv mapping does make it through the export at least.
Regarding Maya I don't have the version that supports .3ds import so I could not test.


Additional

Lightwave 2015


Does open in a lightwave 2015 modeler. (File load object). Uncheck Scale Object in the import dialogue for correct scale.
Does open in a lightwave 2015 scene. (File load object). Uncheck Scale Object in the import dialogue for correct scale. Load object means system cameras and lights.


Other systems untested



Exporting to obj from Blender

As above for Phases 1, 2, 3, and 4. as at top

Phase 5 Export your model to .Obj


Export to .Obj as below
The obj file format does not support animations natively so don't waorry about frame rates.
Select File - external data - (check) Automatically pack data into .blend
Save your .blend file
Select File - Export - wavefront (.obj)
In export settings export set scale to 1 if you are going to 3dsMax and 100 if you are going to fbx review. Only deviate from defaults for good reason.
Export OBJ
Open the file in an application that supports OBJ. Such as Autodesk FBX review (make sure textures are switched on)


Additional regarding obj

3dsMax


Make sure your units match that of Blender (meters for this example) - Customize menu - units setup
Import your .obj file
In the import dialogue of 3dsMax - Check - flipZY-axis.
You will loose your lights and cameras. - Set up new lights and cameras.
Your scale will be correct


Maya


Change working units in Maya to meters or match your settings from blender.
Windows - Settings and Preferences - Preferences -- Click on Settings. Under working units change to meters or match blenders settings set before your project.
Import your Obj file
You will not have any lights or camera. You will have to set up new lights and cameras.
Your scale will be correct.


Fbx Review


Opens correctly in Fbx review with the 100 x scale adjustment in the Blender Obj exporter settings. 


lightwave 2015


On 'open object' the following error message occurs - Can't find file "Images\myTexture.jpg" select an alternate file?  Select Yes and locate your texture file manually.
The scale will be correct. (The Lightwave grid can cause some confusion regarding scale)


Other systems untested for .obj thus far